Pyrotechnic band release device

ABSTRACT

An explosive band release device has a housing into which a short bolt is screwed, the bolt holds together bands used to retain a number of explosive items in a bundle. A pyrotechnic delay is initiated through a flash hole in the housing located adjacent to the delay when it is desired to open the band. The pyrotechnic delay initiates a propellant charge which shears a single thread on the bolt and explosively ejects the bolt from the housing thereby releasing the band which then permits the banded bundle to scatter.

United States atent Kincheloe et al. Sept. 2, 1975 [54] PYROTECHNIC BAND RELEASE DEVICE 2,920,561 H1960 Berlin et al. 102/7.2 [75] Inventors: William L. Kincheloe, Santa Clara;

Vincent S. Bobkowski, Lakewood, Primary Examiner-Stephen C. Bentley both of Calif. Attorney, Agent, or FirmMax Yarmovsky; Nathan [73] Assignee: The United States of America as Edelberg; Robert Gibson represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC. [57] ABSTRACT [22] Flled: 1974 An explosive band release device has a housing into [21] Appl. No.: 450,717 which a short bolt is screwed, the bolt holds together bands used to retain a number of explosive items in a 52 us. (:1 89/1 B; 85/DIG. 1; 102/7.2 bundle delay l thmugh a 51 Int (:1. F42B 25/16 flash hOle housmg mated adlacem the delay 58 Field of Search 85/33, 61, DIG. 1; 89/1 B; when l desred the band l' 102/7 2 49 5 delay initiates a propellant charge which shears a smgle thread on the bolt and explosively ejects the bolt from the housing thereby releasing the band which [56] References Cited then permits the banded bundle to scatter.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,585,870 2/1952 Spielman 85/DIG. l 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures (C' kvt V Y t flaw 9; =1,

PATENTEDSEP ms 3, 902.400

PYROTECHNIC BAND RELEASE DEVICE GOVERNMENTAL INTEREST BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various means have been used in the prior art to provide a larger than normal dispersion of submunitions from a projectile. Upon ejection from the projectile prior art submunitions were dispersed by centrifugal force generated by the spin of the projectile. The size of the ground impact pattern was determined by the spin and the velocity of the projectile at the time of submunition ejection. The old ways for banding together these submunitions were by the use of pins and mechanical toggles. The problem with these prior art banding devices was that they occupied space not available in the cylindrical packaging required, or they were excessively complex and costly as a result of the stringent tolerance requirements.

The present invention overcomes the aforementioned problems by providing a relatively cheap, small pyrotechnic band release device which allows a number of submunitions to be banded together and upon ejection from the carrier the banded munitions are spun off in random directions perpendicular to the line of flight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a pyrotechnic band release device which allows a plurality of munitions to be banded together and upon ejection from a carrier to be spun off to effect a wider area of dispersal. A bolt is used to pin hands together which retain the munitions in a bundle. The bolt is explosively ejected from the housing and releases the pinned bands after an initiating discharge ignites a delay train. The delay train ignites a propellant charge which exerts pressure against the rear end of the bolt causing it to shear a single thread and eject from the housing thereby releasing the bands which were kept under tension by the bolt.

An object of the present invention is to provide a pyrotechnic band release device which can reliably release a plurality of bundled submunitions from a carrier. v

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pyrotechnic band release device having a bolt which has. a single thread thereon which can be readily sheared upon the ignition of a propellant charge.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pyrotechnic band release device having a delay train which can be readily activated to ignite a propellant charge which in turn will eject a bolt holding bands in tension around a plurality of submunitions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pyrotechnic band release device which is simple in design, has moderate tolerance requirements, and is inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple reliable release for tension bands in a minimum of space for the strength provided.

A further object of the present invention is to insure a band holding device which will instantaneously release the band upon the initiation of a propellant charge by a delay train. i

For a' better understanding of theipresent invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is made to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings;

BRIEE'DEsCRIPTioN o THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial diametral cross-sectional view of the pyrotechnic band release devicein its unfired holdin g position.

FIG. 2' is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 22-of the device illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the pyrotechnioband release device taken in its fired position showing the ejection of a bolt from a housing and the separation of the tension bands.

Throughout the following description like reference numerals are used to denote like parts of the drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a housing 10 has a partially threaded bore 12 therein which communicates with a transversely positioned ignition bore 14. Threaded into the bore 12 is an explosive assembly which consists of a propellant member 16 which contains a propellant charge 18 in propellant bore 28; immediately adjacent thereto is a delay train member 20 which contains therein a delay train charge 22 in delay bore 26. Intermediate the propellant charge 18 and the delay train charge 22 is an axial flash hole 24 which communicates with the axial delay bore 26 and the axially aligned propellant bore 28. A shear bolt 30 passes through tension bands 32 through bolt holes 34 and is held in the threaded housing bore 12 by a single bolt thread 36.

In operation the pyrotechtechnic delay charge 22 is initiated through the ignition hole 14 after the carrier (not shown) is launched. The delay charge 22 initiates the propellant charge 18 which shears the single thread 36 on bolt 30 and explosively ejects the bolt 30 outwardly, thereby releasing the bands 32. The submunitions (not shown) that were banded together are thus permitted to scatter from the bundle. If the bundle is spinning at the time of band release, centrifugal forces acting on each submunition assists in the lateral dispersion over the target.

While there has been described and illustrated specific embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious that various changes, modifications and additions can be made herein without departing from the field of the invention which should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A pyrotechnic band release device for dispersal of a bundle of banded submunitions from a carrier which comprises:

a housing having a partially threaded bore therein, an

ignition bore transversely positioned in said housing and communicating with said threaded bore;

a propellant means operatively disposed in said threaded bore which includes;

a hollow partially threaded cylindrical propellant member having an open end and a partially closed end, said closed end having an axial flash hole therein; and

a propellant charge operatively positioned in said propellant member adjacent said flash hole;

a delay means axially aligned with said propellant means and operatively disposed in said partially threaded bore intermediate said propellant means and said ignition bore;

bandmeans having bolt holes therein for holding said bundles of banded submunitions; and a bolt means slidably positioned through said bolt holes and threadedly held in said threaded bore; wherein said bolt means is explosively ejected from said threaded bore and said bolt holes, releasing delay member.

* l= l l 

1. A pyrotechnic band release device for dispersal of a bundle of banded submunitions from a carrier which comprises: a housing having a partially threaded bore therein, an ignition bore transversely positioned in said housing and communicating with said threaded bore; a propellant means operatively disposed in said threaded bore which includes; a hollow partially threaded cylindrical propellant member having an open end and a partially closed end, said closed end having an axial flash hole therein; and a propellant charge operatively positioned in said propellant member adjacent said flash hole; a delay means axially aligned with said propellant means and operatively disposed in said partially threaded bore intermediate said propellant means and said ignition bore; band means having bolt holes therein for holding said bundles of banded submunitions; and a bolt means slidably positioned through said bolt holes and threadedly held in said threaded bore; wherein said bolt means is explosively ejected from said threaded bore and said bolt holes, releasing said band means and said banDed submunitions when said delay means is initiated through said ignition bore causing said propellant charge to ignite, thus permitting said banded submunitions to scatter from said bundle.
 2. A pyrotechnic band release device as recited in claim 1 wherein said delay means comprises: a hollow cylindrical delay member operatively disposed in said housing intermediate said propellant member and said ignition bore; and a delay train charge operatively disposed within said delay member. 